Computers and other devices are linked in a local data network (LAN) by a router. That router also enables those devices to communicate over a wide area data network (WAN) such as the internet. The LAN may be wired, wireless, or some combination of wired and wireless. The WAN connection may be wired or wireless. Examples of wireless WANs include, but are not limited to cellular data networks and IEEE 802.16 data networks.
Router configuration is generally accomplished using a computer interacting with the router. The router includes an embedded web server that allows a user to access one or more configuration pages with a standard web browser. For example, the user may be able to change the security parameters, change passwords or perform any other configuration of the router's functions. These web pages may provide status information about the configuration of the router, the current network traffic patterns, the speed of the network and so forth. The pages may also allow the user to initiate or otherwise allow local network connections between the router and various client devices. If the router is configured to communicate over a wireless WAN, the user may use the pages to instruct the cellular router to initiate the wireless WAN connection with a cellular data network.
A web interface serves many users well. However, it would prove advantageous if certain router functions, especially those unique to capable of wiles WAN communications, could be initiated from the router itself without requiring a user interface provided through second device on the network.